Designed with October Half Term in mind, Spooky Spectacular camp days will include obstacles courses, archery competitions, hand ball, sports tournaments and more. Children are invited to attend in Halloween fancy dress on Friday, October 26.

The LFC Foundation will return with its popular sessions that include sports drills, challenges and small sided games with prizes to be won each day.

Dance Mash-ups will also return this October with sessions dedicated to The Greatest Showman and Disney villains.

Camp days are priced at £13 per day which is reduced if multiple days are booked. Discounted prices are also available to Active Choices card holders.

Be Active will also be launching a series of pool-based activities including Wave Rave pool parties, inflatable parties and a range of swimming sessions.

Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “As we approach the winter months it can become more difficult to find things to do with your children and keep them entertained and active.

“Be Active’s half term offers continue to grow and offer an exciting and affordable range activities to keep Sefton’s younger residents busy while they are not in school.”

As well as it’s half term camps, Active Sefton delivers a number of after-school and weekend activities throughout the year. Jump into Gymnastics classes for ages 2-8 are held weekly at Crosby Lakeside and Crosby Leisure Centre and Football for ages 2-10 is held on Saturdays at Dunes Splash World and Sundays at Netherton Activity Centre.

To book a place on any of the activities or to find out more information call 0151 288 6286 or 0151 934 4799.

Sefton teams up with Dog’s Trust to promote Good Dog Code

Sefton Council have teamed up with Dogs Trust to help promote the ongoing Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) across the borough.

Three sessions will take place in parks around Sefton in the coming weeks to promote both the Good Dog Code and the PSPO which encourages responsible dog ownership in parks, greenspaces and public highways.

During the sessions dog owners and their four-legged friends will be able to meet with members of Dogs Trust’s Campaigns team for the North of England, as well as Green Sefton staff.

Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “These events are a great opportunity for dog owners to find out more about our Good Dog Code and the Public Space Protection Order.

“We continue to encourage responsible dog ownership throughout the borough and would urge everyone to make sure they are aware of what this PSPO entails.

“Dog owners will also be able to get a wealth of help and information from our friends at Dogs Trust too at the sessions.”

Sefton welcomes Planning Inspectorate decision on Waterloo flats plan

Two separate planning applications to convert office space into flats in Waterloo have been dismissed on appeal by the Planning Inspectorate.

Earlier this year Sefton Council received two separate planning applications from DPP Planning on behalf of Mr Alan Verinder for 1-3 Crosby Road South, Waterloo – both seeking to convert the existing offices and extend them to provide 30 and 32 flats respectively.

Sefton Council’s Planning Committee had originally refused both applications in January 2018, citing significant concerns over the design and layout of the proposed extensions, and impacts on heritage assets.

However, an appeal was lodged but that has just been dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate.

The concerns were fully supported by the independent Inspector, Katie McDonald, who noted in her report: “I find that the proposal would be harmful to the host building, and this would fail to preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the (Conservation Area). This would be in conflict with the Local Plan for Sefton.”

A separate application by Mr Verinder for costs against Sefton Council was also dismissed. In dismissing the claim, the Inspector noted that Sefton Council had proper regard to the impact on the Conservation Area and found that they had: “exercised their duty to determine the planning applications in a reasonable manner having regard to the particular merits of the cases, taking account of all available information.”

Cllr Daren Veidman, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Building Control, and Chair of Planning Committee, said: “This decision has fully vindicated the Council’s approach to resisting unacceptable forms of development where harm will result to heritage assets.

“It also fully endorses the Council’s consistent approach to assessing all planning applications on their own merits and we welcome all the Planning Inspectorate’s comments in relation to these applications.”

Response to anti-gum dropping campaign is simply Gumbelievable!

Businesses, residents and visitors to the borough were given something to chew over at the weekend as Sefton launched its ‘Gumbelievable’ campaign.

Launched on Chapel Street, Southport on Saturday, September 28, the local authority teamed up with the Chewing Gum Action Group to hand out special packs to gum lovers, in a bid to combat the amount of gum which is dropped on the street.

The launch saw hundreds of packs being handed out to residents and tourists along the busy shopping street, as well as A3 chewing gum boards being erected for people to stick their used gum to.

Huge banners warning people not to risk hefty fines have also been placed outside Sefton run leisure centres and beer mats have been handed out to businesses to further reiterate the gumbelievable message.

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regulation and Compliance, said: “It was great to see that we have the support of so many businesses and residents in our campaign.

“Dropping gum, like any form of litter, is a disgusting and unsightly thing to do and you can be fined so we are making sure there is no reason to do it!

“The packs we handed out contain dozens of disposable wrappers which gum lovers can carry around with them, or failing that, we placed ‘gum boards’ along Chapel Street for people to stick their used gum to.

“We are doing all we can to raise awareness of this issue and we continue to spread the message far and wide, nobody can have an excuse to drop gum.”

Birkdale group host Station Master’s House fundraisers

Supporters and friends of the Birkdale Station Master’s House are invited to a host of fundraising events to help open a community hub and library.

Two events are taking place over October and November to raise funds towards converting the Birkdale Station Master’s House on Liverpool Road into a community library.

The first event takes place on Friday October 19 with popular local historian Keith Hick.

Keith will be giving a talk on how Art Deco shaped both Southport’s architectural gems and the 20th Century.

The talk will be held at Birkdale Conservative Club starting at 7pm. Tickets are £5 per person and are available to buy on the door.

The second event is a charity quiz night on November 16 from 7.30pm. The third in a series of quiz nights, the light hearted competition is always well attended and tickets include entry to the quiz and food.

Birkdale Conservative Club will host the quiz and tickets, priced at £8, are available on the door.